On Mon, 07 Feb 2005 04:32:39 GMT, "Greg"
wrote:

To barge in, here is a topic just brought to my attention, although this
probably belongs in rec.boats.cruising...

I just finished the book Adrift, by Steven Callahan (76 days Lost at Sea),
and have to ask why anyone would buy an inflatable raft for emergencies.
Sure, safe at home, I can think of several, but after reading his account
and seeing how much better off he would have been with an "unsinkable" foam
and fiberglass dinghy, they seem to be a very poor choice.

Granted, his "real" sailboat was a homebuilt 21 footer and it went down in a
mighty empty piece of ocean (south-west of canaries), but after reading his
story, rubber rafts seem VERY undesirable - although a notch up from going
down with the ship, to be sure.

Any one else read the book or have thoughts on the matter?

Not only did I read it, it was my firm who edited it. Great book, a
very nice read.

When I did my solo trans-atlantic, I had a large rubber raft on board.
Now I wish I didnt have it. In retrospect, it took up a lot of room,
which I could have made better use of.